Glasgow Kids Excel At Tinto Sports Club

12Aug 2019

Summer holidays can be a stressful time for families with children complaining of boredom. At its extreme, some communities can be plagued by a rise in anti-social behaviour. To counteract this, children in Glasgow have been enjoying a free holiday sports club thanks to one charity.

The Tinto summer sports club, run by Aberlour Child Care Trust, Scotland’s largest children’s charity, has been running for over five years and has grown in popularity with at least 20 Glasgow young people attending the program 3 times a week. The event provides a free sports club for children aged 8 to 15 living in the Glasgow area. The club gives local children a chance to try new sports activities, to meet friends, make new ones but most of all have fun.

The week finished with an awards ceremony at Tinto Primary School to celebrate the fantastic achievements of all its participants.

This year’s ceremony was especially important as two of the club’s attendees Dylan Crawford, 15, and Brian Simpson, 15, coached their peers throughout this year’s programme. Dylan and Brian were supported by the Aberlour Family Support Service team in Glasgow to develop their coaching skills and create a sports tournament inclusive and fun for all.

Bailey Josephine Docherty attended the ceremony to present certificates to all the young people who had participated throughout the summer and to congratulate Dylan and Brian for a fantastic event.

Dylan, young person coach, said:

“I have always loved playing football and with Johnny’s encouragement I knew I wanted to try coaching. It has been great to work with all the local kids throughout the summer and teach them more football skills. Having the Aberlour team there to support me has been great and I have grown in confidence. I am going into S6 after the summer, but I definitely want to pursue a career in coaching after this great experience.”

Michelle King, Service Manager of Aberlour Family Support Service – Glasgow, said:

“The summer holidays can be a difficult time for many of the families our service supports. Keeping their children entertained can cause anxiety for parents. The lack of routine and structure can result in challenges for parents which can impact family dynamics and contribute further to stress. Trying to afford activities throughout the holidays can mean even more financial stress.

“Our free sports club is an activity that our local families look forward to every school holiday. They know their children will be safe, they will be able to socialise with their friends and other children as well as having a good run about. “

Aberlour is Scotland’s largest children’s charity and supports over 7,500 vulnerable children and their families across the country. Aberlour provide a range of services, including residential and fostering, recovery, early years, disability and early intervention, to help the young people and families they support to thrive.

The next Tinto sports club will take place during the school October break, 14th – 18th October 2019, from 1pm to 3pm on Monday to Friday at Tinto Primary School.